1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to beverage brewers, and in particular to beverage brewers of the instantaneous heating type wherein the hot beverage brewing liquid is heated to the brewing temperature substantially concurrently with the delivery of the water to the device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In one conventional form of beverage brewing apparatus suitable for brewing coffee and the like, the beverage is brewed in a cartridge which is supported on a forwardly cantilevered head portion of the brewer housing. A base portion carries the head on the upper end of a rear upright portion. The base portion is adapted to carry a decanter or the like for receiving the brewed beverage from the brewing cartridge and may be disposed on a suitable warmer to maintain the delivered brewed beverage at the serving temperature after it is received in the decanter.
In one improved form of beverage brewer, the water is heated to the brewing temperature as it is delivered from a source of cold water, such as from a conventional pressurized water supply. In effecting the transfer of heat to the thusly conducted cold water, it is desirable to provide optimum heat transfer conditions. In one improved form of such a beverage brewer, the heat transfer is effected by means of a heat transfer body which is heated by a suitable heating means, such as an electrical heating element, the incoming cold water being arranged to flow in heat transfer association with the body which acts as a heat reservoir in mediating the heat transfer to the water for improved heating thereof to the desired brewing temperature.
The provision of such a heat transfer body presents a serious problem in that the body is relatively massive. In the conventional prior art structures, the heat transfer body has been disposed in overlying relationship to the cartridge for facilitated delivery of the hot brewing water therefrom into the cartridge. This has presented the possibility of forward tilting of the brewer as a result of additional downward forces being applied to the forwardly cantilevered portion of the brewing head.